Saving Willow
by Tails42
Summary: The after effects of war is never pleasant. George became heart broken with the death of his beloved twin, and shuts himself way. then when Willow, a tortured muggle comes along, George will make an attempt to help another. Maybe she'll help him in turn.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I Do not own Harry Potter.

1

There was never a place as dark and terrifying as the Lestranges' basement. Cold metal chains hung from the walls, attached to shackles. Corpses where neatly arranged against the basements four walls. It almost looked as if the bodies had been placed there for decoration. The air was thick and stuffy with the scent of blood and death. Evan the toughest of aurors would quake at this sight. That was the effect that the two men, standing on top of the staircase were experiencing.

Bruce Locksley had never seen such a thing in all of the years that he had worked in the ministry. So there was no chance that the rookie auror standing besides him had ever seen such a horrid display of violence before. Bruce quickly scanned the basement with his eyes. Judging the clothes on the bodies all of the Lestranges' victims had been muggles. "Send an owl to the ministry and ask for the muggle department to come," Bruce said to his partner. The muggle department would want to write up a report on this. "I'll look for any survivors." Bruce finished before the rookie darted away. It was obvious that he didn't want to enter the basement. Bruce didn't blame him. Taking a deep breath Bruce slowly made his way down the stairs.

The first two muggles proved to be long gone, for their flesh was starting to rot. The sight of the fifth muggle broke Bruce's heart. The fifth muggle was a mere child, no older than three and was one hundred percent dead. It was the same with muggles six through twenty. Each corpse was as saddening as the next. Some were missing eyeballs, while others had their arms and legs bent in odd angles. However there was something different about muggle twenty-one. Something that made Bruce's heart speed up. This muggle was a young woman, probably somewhere in her late teens. She had thick matted brown hair. Her eyes had dark circles around them. The girl had been deprived of all forms of clothing, because of that Bruce could see all of her ribs. However it was the steady rise and fall of her chest that made his heart beat faster. This girl is alive! Barely alive, but she was still breathing. Hurriedly Bruce removed his traveling cloak and draped it around the muggle girl. There was still some hope on this dreadful day.

Arthur Weasley arrived at the scene a short half an hour later, only to find Bruce Locksley, the auror, sitting on a black leather sofa with an unconscious girl leaning against his shoulder. Bruce was quietly muttering simply healing charms but stopped at the sound of Arthur's approaching footsteps. "Weasley," Bruce greeted in a soft voice as he carefully stretched out a hand for a handshake.

"Is this the muggle?" Arthur asked once the appropriate greeting had been given.

"The only one that's still breathing," Bruce answered, his eyes lingering on the girl that was covered only in his traveling cloak. Bruce's healing spells didn't seem to be working. The girl's skin was still littered with bruises and open wounds. Bruce couldn't even get rid of the black circles under her eyes. "There are forty-nine muggle corpses down in the basement." Bruce went on, while gesturing towards the stairs that lead to the basement. "Once you're done down there perhaps you can take this girl to 's? Muggles, after all, are your area of work."

Arthur nodded in understanding. I'll take her there now." After all the living do take priority over the dead. "The wasn't of my department can help out around here, and once I'm done at St. Mungo's I'll come back and we can all give those poor chaps a proper funeral." Arthur finished as he took out his wand to levitate the girl. "Will you be wanting your cloak back?"

Bruce shook his head. "She can have it. Poor child probably doesn't own anything to her name."

Arthur nodded once more before appareling with the girl to the wizarding hospital.

George Weasley sat at the kitchen table in the Burrow, with his head in his hands. It had been three months sense the war had ended. Three months sense Fred was killed. Ever sense then there has been a big gaping hole in George's soul. Now he had to run the joke shop by himself. Live by himself, and laugh alone. Though he hadn't had a good laugh in a long time. Everyone, especially his mum, kept telling him that as time passes things would get easier. So far they had been wrong. George suspected that it would never get easier.

Though his mourning was put on hold as soon as his father apparited into the kitchen. "What a day!" Arthur exclaimed as he went over to the table to get off his feet. George took one look at his dad and knew what he meant by what a day. 's robes where covered in filth. His eyes where bloodshot, and he looked distressed.

"Arthur, what happened to you?" Molly asked as she entered her kitchen to get her roast out of the oven. After living through a war, as long as long as there was no blood, Molly had become unphased to distressed appearances. Though the dirt on her husband's robes was different.

Arthur sighed deeply, and used the accio charm to get himself a glass and bottle of firewhiskey before answering his wife. "A few aurors did a raid at the Lestranges' mansion today. From what they've told me they had found many objects filled with dark magic. Though when they made there way down to the basement", at this point Mr. Weasley had to pause to take a big gulp of his firewhiskey before continuing. "They discovered it to be filled with fifty muggles." As soon as the word muggle left Arthur's mouth Molly paused in her cooking, and George picked up his head out of his hands to hear what his father had to say. "All dead except for one. A young girl, I'd say around the age of fifteen, but no one knows for sure. The aurors called in my department at once, and I was the one to check the poor girl into St. Mungo's. Fortunately the girl remained unconscious for that part. Otherwise she would have probably been terrified. Actually when I left she has still not have woken up." Arthur put his glass down and turned to look at his wife. "You should have seen her Molly. All of her ribs where visible, both of my hands would have fitted around her waist. There were cuts and bruises all over her. And those Lestrange bastards had deprived her of all clothing." Arthur shook his head before placing it in his hands. Much like how George had been sitting before. "How is it that anyone can treat a muggle in such a fashion? And a child none the less!" It was obvious to George and Molly that was most upset about this. They all were too.

Molly set her finished roast on the table before laying a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder. Though she didn't say anything. Molly knew that he wasn't done talking just yet.

"So I've asked my head of department to place me in charge of the girl's case. And considering all of the children we've raised he has agreed." Arthur went on once he had calmed himself. "I'll probably be spending some late nights working," he said more to Molly than to George.

George stared at his father, feeling interested in something for the first time in three months. "Why don't you just obliviate her?" He asked Arthur.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both stopped what they where doing to stare at their son, hope glistening in their eyes. George had hardly said a word to them sense Fred's death, and all of a sudden he blurts out a complete question.

It took Arthur a few tries to answer George but he finally came up with, "Well to erase her memories now we'd have to erase about two years, for that how long we think she's been a prisoner, worth of memories. Two years is a pretty big gap. Evan if we did mange to obliviate two years her body and emotions would still remember all of the trauma she's survived. Sadly the girl will never be able to return to her own world. She has been exposed to too much magic, and will never be able to leave the magical world." Arthur's words seemed to hang in the air.

That night the Weasley family ate in a heavy silence.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

2

It was an early morning for Arthur the next day. He wanted to arrive at St. Mungo's hopefully before the girl awoke. So he left at six o'clock exact. Though he should have left at five if he wanted to find the girl still asleep. For the girl had woken at five fifteen, and so had the rest of St. Mungo's.

Mr. weasley was greeted outside of the muggle girl's room by a very disgruntled grey haired healer. "Is everything alright ma'am?" Arthur asked feeling a tad bit nervous. And with all the screaming and clattering sounds going on in the girl's room wasn't helping his nerves.

"Oh, thank goodness you are here!" The healer exclaimed. "That child will not corporate. She won't drink her potions, and every time someone takes out their wands the girl throws a fit." At this point it was all the healer could do was to throw her hands up into the air.

"Shall I try my hand at calming her then?" Arthur asked as he moved past the old healer to enter the room.

It was certainly a sight to see. Two healers were trying to keep the muggle girl pinned to the bed while the third healer had a cup filled with a green potion pressed against the muggle's lips. Though the girl had her lips locked together with a fearful look in her wide brown eyes.

"Let her go," Arthur said, earning the attention of the healers. "Holding her down like that will only cause her to panic more." He said in a reasoning tone.

The healers passed a few looks between the three of them before they released the girl. As soon as the girl had been free use of her limbs she leaped off the bed and darted to one of the room's corners. Before dropping down onto the floor as a few stray tears leaked from her eyes.

"Now", Mr. weasley started, returning his attention back to the healers. "What type of potion are you trying to give her?"

"It's just a potion to reduce a fever", The healer holding the cup answered.

Arthur nodded before asking another question. "And if I take a small sip of that what would happen?"

"If you take this potion with out having a fever you'll just get a tad cold for an hour or two", the same healer answered looking a bit confused about what Arthur was planning on doing.

Arthur nodded again and reached for the potion before slowly stepping towards the girl. "You're afraid that if you drink this you'll get hurt correct?" Arthur asked as he crouched down to the girl's eye level.

Hesitantly the girl nodded making her unkempt, though much cleaner than the last time Arthur had seen her, hair cover her eyes.

Arthur held out to potion for the girl to see, and ignored it when she shrank away. "This will make your fever lessen if you drink it. So if I take a small sip of this, and prove that it will not hurt you will you drink the rest?"

Again the girl nodded at watched with interest as raised the cup, and quickly took a sip. Arthur smacked his lips together before passing the cup to the girl. "Now it is your turn." Arthur said watching the girl with the same interest that she had watched him with.

The girl's intrusting eyes never left Arthur, as she first smelt the scentless potion before drowning the cup in one gulp. Surprisingly the potion had a faint taste of mint.

"Good girl", Arthur praised in his best father of the year voice before moving on. "Can you tell me your name?"

The girl did nothing to respond, nor did she look away from him. Her eyes seemed to follow his hands no matter how small the movement. And her face seemed to be firmly stuck in a fearful expression.

"Can you speak?" Arthur questioned gently. After all, he had no idea what this girl had gone threw at the hands of her abusers.

But before she had time to even nod or shake her head a healer answered for her. "We have done a complete physical on her. Her vocal box tested to be working just fine."

Arthur turned to face the healers once more. "Thank you." He said. "How is her other injuries? It seemed like there were a few sprains when I brought her in yesterday?"

The second healer seemed happily to reply. "There where one sprained ankle, one broken wrist, and one broken leg. We mended all of those last night when she was still sleep. She'll be free to go as soon as her fever is gone and once she has put on a little more weight on." The healer finished with a smile.

Arthur thanked the healers again before politely asking them to leave. His main job today was to get the girl to respond to some positive socializing, and to get as much information as he could about her. "So you can talk, you just don't want to?" Arthur asked once the last healer had left the room.

He was answered by another hesitant nod. Though Arthur was pleased to see that the girl did not appear any more frightened than she did when he had first entered the room.

"If I got you some parchment and a quill would you answer a few of my questions?"

Arthur was given another nod.

He had to be careful with what he was going to do next. One wrong move and this girl would never trust him. "I'm sure you've noticed by now that magic exist," Arthur began, making sure that he was speaking clearly.

The girl didn't respond this time. She just kept starring at him. Arthur took this as a sign to continue. "So I am going to take out my wand, and summon the objects that we need. I will never, at any given time, point my wand at you." He reassured her. The girl's eyes had grown to the size of tea saucers as soon as Arthur had mentioned the word wand. She started to push herself against the wall, like she wanted to dissolve into it, and become part of the wallpaper.

Arthur made a big shoe of turning sideways before taking out his wand from one of his pockets. The girl's breathing suddenly becomes labored.

Although Arthur was watching her out of the corner of his eye he did not stop his actions when she had showed signs of distress. He knew that having been bound to the magical world, the girl would have to learn to not be fearful of common every day magic. "Accio parchment, inkwell, and quill." said firmly.

A few seconds later the door sprang open and 's requested items came flying in. This had a negative effect on the girl. Before Arthur could lift a finger the girl had leapt to her feet, steered around him, and crawled under the bed.

It took a full hour and many promises not to take his wand out again today before Arthur could coax the girl out of her hiding place. And then another hour to get the girl to even touch the quill and parchment. Even after all of that her answers to hid questions were limited. All Mr. Wealsey found out was that her name was Willow Shermen; she was seventeen years old, two years older than what Arthur thought she was. Then he found out the unfortunate fact that her parents had been down in the Lestranges' basement with her. Willow was all alone in the world. Arthur could not get her to answer anything about her time in the Lestranges' basement. Though he had tried, Arthur had had a feeling from the start that she wouldn't answer anything on that topic. That portion of Willow's life was still an open wound, and probably could not be discussed for many years to come.

By the Time Arthur got home he had missed dinner. Molly, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and George were all relaxing in the sitting room when Arthur entered the room. Arthur wasn't surprised to see Harry and Hermione in his home. After the war they had started to date Ginny and Ron, and by the looks of how things where going wouldn't be surprised if they would be hearing wedding bells in the future. Though what was a surprise was George. Usually he would disappear into his and Fred's old room after a meal and wouldn't be seen again until the next meal. Although he was sitting by himself, he was still being more social than he had been in three months. "Evening everyone," Arthur greeted before he kissed his wife on her cheek. He received a grunt from Ron, and three hellos Hermione, Harry, and Ginny in response to his greeting. "Have you got anything for a bad back Molly?" Arthur asked as he sat in his favorite chair.

"Yes, of course", said Molly as she charmed her knitting needle to knit with out her. "But why do you need it?"

Arthur sighed, and ran one of his hands threw his disappearing hair. "I've spent the majority of the day sitting on the ground." Arthur said which then led into telling everyone in the room of his day's events, while Molly fetched him a tonic.

George slowly started to sit up straighter from his spot on the sofa. He didn't know why, but this muggle girl's story had him intrigued. Perhaps it was because this girl has a life more worse than his own.

"Though I did learn a few things about her", went on after having drunk toe tonic. "Her name is Willow Shermen. She is Seventeen years old, the same age you, Ginny." Arthur addressed his only daughter. His voice became a little more tired sounding for what he had to say next. "And her parents where two of the forty-nine muggle that died in the Lestranges' basement."

A polite silence filled the house; everyone in the Burrow understood the pain of loss. Sense last night everyone in the Burrow knew of the Lestranges' muggle prison. They all felt great pity for Willow.

After a while Arthur let out a light chuckle. "She's a stubborn one though, it seems that the Lestranges' couldn't break her of that. Willow keeps making the healers all flustered when ever it's time to take a potion." Suddenly the room felt a bit warmer. "She would have ran away by now if her room didn't have so many alarm spells on it." Arthur said chuckling to himself. "Molly, I've been throwing around a few ideas," he began, turning to face his wife. "What do you say to having Willow spend the weekend with us? Her and those healers don't seem to be getting along to well, and it would beneficial for her to see what living with a typical magical family is like sense she'll have to be placed with a family as soon as she has a clean bill of health."

Molly nodded very quickly; she was never one to turn away anyone in need. "She can stay in Percy's old room sense he has his own place now. I suppose we'll have to put away any objects dangerous to muggles. George dear, can you make sure everything from your joke shop is locked away?"

George nodded in response. Even though he had his on living quarters above the joke shop he hadn't felt like staying their sense Fred's death. He had never lived alone once in his entire life. "Dad", George started in a soft voice. "Who is she going to be staying with once you place her in a home?" George muttered, ignoring all of the surprised and hopeful stares that everyone was sending his way.

"The best option of housing right now would be the Diggorys. Sense they have lost Cedric they have been wanting to have another person to care for, but don't want to adopt a young child sense they are getting along in years. They do still miss Cedric quite a bit it seems", Arthur answered, recalling anything he could remember.

At the mention of Cedric Harry looked down, a frown forming on his lips. Ginny grabbed his hand as a form of comfort. "That wouldn't be a bad match." Hermione commented. "The Diggorys are nice people." From besides her Ron agreed eagerly. Lately he seemed to agree with what ever came out of her mouth.

Silently, trying to not draw attention to him, George stood up and made his way to the stairs. He had had enough for one night.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

3

Willow woke up, not remembering where she was. The room where she currently was could not compare to the plain white washed walls of the room that she had been kept in for the past week. This room had a cozy feeling to it, although it was rather neat. The bed lay next to one side of the room, where Willow was quietly laying on. It's blankets where soft and made of red and gold wool. The color was a nice change after having spent two years in the dark, and then a week in a pure white room. She had missed color, especially the color of the sky, something she still hadn't seen yet.

She remained laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling, recalling yesterday's events. had come bright and early to the hospital, Just like he had for the past week. Though he seemed a bit more jovial than usual. The first thing he said to Willow that day was to put on the shoes that the healers had provided for her. She would be leaving today. This statement spark both fear and excitement in Willow. She had been dying to get outside ever since she had spent her first month in the Lestranges' basement. Though it was oblivious to Willow that leaving meant leaving with , who she still feared, no matter how kind he was to her. A wizard will always be a wizard after all.

For the first time since she had arrived at the wizarding hospital Willow stepped out of that white washed room under the firm guidance of Arthur. There was nothing more that willow wanted to do but run for the exit and escape back to the world that she was most comfortable in, but Arthur had her hand gentle incased in his, and was carefully leading her over to a large fire place. "You'll going to be spending the weekend with my family", said, watching Willow's face to range her reaction. She didn't seem to really think much about this idea. "To get there we are going to travel using floo powder." Arthur started, not failing in noticing Willow's flinching when he mentioned an object that was clearly magical. "We are going to step into that fireplace," He said pointing to the fireplace in front of him. "I'll drop some of this powder and say me address and then we'll be off. To travel like is very easy and safe, but you need to keep your eyes closed and your arms locked close to your sides. Do you think you can do that?"

Willow violently shook her head. Couldn't they just take a bus? "Of course you can." Arthur said, trying to sound encouraging. He moved towards the fireplace, dragging a struggling Willow behind him. Most wizarding families' travel using floo powder, so this would be a good thing for Willow to get used to. Though, of course, being muggle she would never be able to travel by herself, but all in all still felt this would be a good lesson. Once he was in the fireplace, with Willow securely under his arm, he threw down the powder and yelled, "The burrow."

After arriving at the burrow if took Willow the full amount of an hour to properly calm down before she would let anyone approach her. They where seven people, counting , in the kitchen from where the second fireplace they had climbed out of were located. A short round red head woman, who was busily scolding Arthur for not using muggle transportation. Two red haired boys how where lounging on two chairs, just staring at Willow. A red haired girl who was standing nest to a bushy brown hair girl. It was obvious to Willow that all the red heads where probably Weasleys. And last there was a blacked haired boy how was trying to guided Willow away from the fireplace and to a chair. Through form aside having taking an inventory of everyone in the room, Willow wasn't able to think straight and ended up just dropping onto the floor. Clutching her head as tears of fear and frustration started to fall from her eyes. Everyone respectably stayed where they were in the room.

For the rest of the day everyone in the Weasley household walked and talked around Willow like they where walking on eggshells. Occasionally one of them would try to offer her something to drink of eat, though Willow never responded. The one thing she did try to do was make an escape out the front door, through one of the red head boys, George, quickly steered her away from the door and into the sitting room. "You better stay inside", George said as he forcefully sat her down on the sofa. Willow stared up at George with terrified eyes. Nobody had touched her sense this morning. "You haven't eaten all day." George stated. It wasn't a question but Willow slowly nodded in response. Something was different about George than the others. He didn't have the same guarded look than the others. With a loud cracking sound George suddenly disappeared and reappeared a half minute later. Practically causing Willow's heart to jump up her throat. "Eat this", George said, tossing her a bread roll, which she clumsily caught. Slowly she picked small bits off of the bread and stuck them in her mouth, she was hungry. Though Willow never took her eyes off of George. Anyone how could just disappear and then reappear could not be safe.

"You don't like magic do you Will?" George ask, unaware that he had just given Willow a nick name. Willow didn't answer George this time; it was a stupid question, instead to work on finishing the bread roll. "Not all magic is bad", George said, more to himself than to Willow. Though he didn't fail to notice Willow shaking her head in disagreement. "I can prove it." George insisted taking out his wand from his back pocket. Willow squirmed uncomfortably on the sofa at the sight of the magical stick. With some fancy wand waving, obviously a spell of George's own creation, a crystal appeared with many different colored lights flashing around inside of it. "Here", George started, forcing the strange stone into Willow's hand. "The wizards' version of a night light." Willow held the crystal away from her body, though she didn't drop it like she normally would have. It was rather pretty, and it felt warm and soothing in her hand. Willow let her eyes linger on the stone for half a second longer before turning to look back at George, but he was no longer there.

From her spot on the bed Willow looked over to the nightstand next to the bed. On sat the stone that she had received the day before, It's light was still spinning around inside. The crystal had guarded over Willow's sleep last night. Giving her one of the best sleep that she had had in a long time. Sense she didn't have to fear what lurked in the shadows with her own personal light. Maybe that George was different from everyone else?


End file.
